


Wouldn't Miss It For Anything

by turtleeden



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Gen, PeCoCreMo2019, almost didn't make it in time!, but I did!, consider this my quick contribution, happy birthday ann!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-29 19:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21415378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turtleeden/pseuds/turtleeden
Summary: 11/12. It's Ann's eighteenth birthday and everyone is sending their best wishes. Unbeknownst to Ann, everyone is planning to have a big reunion at her surprise birthday party, and all that's left is to get the birthday girl herself.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takamaki Ann, Suzui Shiho & Takamaki Ann, Takamaki Ann & Phantom Thieves of Hearts
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	Wouldn't Miss It For Anything

It’s awesome when your birthday is on your day off.

Ann had nowhere to be today. There was no school today and she didn’t have any photoshoots to go to. It was her birthday and she was free to do as she pleased. And today wasn’t just any old birthday… today was her _eighteenth_ birthday. In the eyes of society, Ann would now be considered as an adult. 

In the model world, she could be sought out for more shoots and runway shows that she couldn’t do before because she was underage. Just think of what could happen when Ann would finally graduate from high school! The sky’s the limit, after all! And this is only concerning her job! There were a lot of other things that Ann could do now… like getting her own place after she graduates, maybe? She didn’t have to live inside empty houses under her parents’ name anymore, and they wouldn’t have to hire a caretaker to make sure that she’s okay. It was kind of exciting, and a little scary, being eighteen. There were a lot of things that she had to consider now…

...But that was for another day.

Ann hummed to herself happily as she laid there on her bed, kicking her feet up in the air as she texted her responses to all of the birthday messages that she’s gotten so far. She had a bright smile on her face as she read all of the messages from her friends, appreciating that she was in their thoughts.

\-----

**Shiho**: Happy birthday, Ann!  
**Ann**: Shiho!! Thank you!  
**Shiho**: And you’re eighteen today, too!  
**Shiho**: Got any huge birthday plans?  
**Ann**: Hehe, not really.  
**Ann**: Maybe I could go on a huge shopping spree!  
**Ann**: It’s Sunday, so I could totally hit as many stores as I want!  
**Shiho**: Aww, is that it?  
**Shiho**: C’mon, you can do better than that!  
**Ann**: Shiho!  
**Shiho**: I’m just saying, Ann.  
**Shiho**: You’ve gotta have something else up your sleeve!  
**Ann**: Oh yeah?  
**Ann**: Why don’t you come to the city and help me do something about it?  
**Shiho**: Haha, if only!  
**Ann**: Hehe, yeah…  
**Ann**: Honestly, I’m just glad to hear from you, Shiho.  
**Ann**: It’s the next best thing since you’re not here in person.  
**Shiho**: You’re silly. Of course you’d hear from me.  
**Shiho**: You know I wouldn’t miss your birthday for anything.  
**Ann**: I know.  
**Ann**: I love you for that, y’know?  
**Shiho**: Love too you.  
**Shiho**: You just enjoy yourself, okay?  
**Ann**: Yeah! I will!

\-----

**Ryuji**: Hey, hey! Look who’s legal now!  
**Ann**: That’s a funny way of saying ‘Happy Birthday’ Ryuji  
**Ryuji**: Hey! Today’s a big deal!  
**Ryuji**: Finally joining us adults, huh?  
**Ann**: Hah!  
**Ann**: If only you’d act like one, Ryuji.  
**Ryuji**: What was that?!  
**Ryuji**: I’m tryin’ to be nice over here!  
**Ann**: I know.  
**Ann**: And I really appreciate it, Ryuji. Thanks!  
**Ryuji**: No prob!  
**Ryuji**: Yo, wanna get some of the gang together to celebrate?  
**Ann**: That’d be great!  
**Ann**: It’s not like I got solid birthday plans, so that’d be perfect.  
**Ryuji**: Nice!  
**Ryuji**: I’m gonna go spread the word out!

\-----

**Futaba**: Birthday alert! Birthday alert!  
**Futaba**: Ann Takamaki is now eighteen!  
**Ann**: Aww, thank you, Futaba!  
**Futaba**: Mm. So, get this.  
**Futaba**: Ryuji just texted me about summoning everybody to celebrate  
**Futaba**: Naturally I figured that it was for your birthday  
**Futaba**: So I asked where we were going to go  
**Futaba**: And he didn’t even know!  
**Futaba**: Pfft, noob move, Ryuji!  
**Futaba**: How are you going to summon everybody if you don’t have a decent summoning spot planned!?  
**Ann**: Hehe… Ryuji just wanted to spread the word out.  
**Ann**: I don’t think he thought that far ahead.  
**Futaba**: Sounds like a Ryuji move.  
**Ann**: Hey! Maybe you guys could come up with something together?  
**Ann**: ...And maybe, y’know, let me in on it when you’re done?  
**Futaba**: Hmm…  
**Futaba**: Must consult. Top secret.

\-----

**Yusuke**: Salutations on your birthday, Ann.  
**Ann**: Thank you, Yusuke!  
**Ann**: That’s sweet of you!  
**Yusuke**: I have a present prepared for this day.  
**Yusuke**: It might take some time for me to deliver it to your home  
**Yusuke**: I’m confident that I can make it before sundown.  
**Ann**: S-Sundown!?  
**Ann**: It’s 9 in the morning!  
**Ann**: You have plenty of time before then!  
**Yusuke**: Thank you for the assurance, Ann.  
**Yusuke**: As soon as I can get this canvas through this door…  
**Yusuke**: Then I shall depart.  
**Ann**: Wha…?! How big is this canvas anyway?!  
**Ann**: Don’t strain yourself!  
**Ann**: A-And, hey! I don’t know if Ryuji or Futaba got to you, yet…  
**Ann**: But we’re gonna go meet up together!  
**Ann**: You can give my present to me then, okay?  
**Yusuke**: Ah, so that’s why I’ve been getting these alerts while I’m talking to you.  
**Yusuke**: Very well. I shall see what they’ve got planned.

\-----

**Makoto**: Happy birthday, Ann.  
**Makoto**: I hope that you’ve been doing well.  
**Ann**: Makoto! Thank you!  
**Ann**: How’s college been since that last time we talked?  
**Makoto**: It’s been fine.  
**Makoto**: Difficult at times, but I can handle it.  
**Ann**: That’s our Queen!  
**Makoto**: You’ve been considering college too, haven’t you?  
**Makoto**: Have you studied for the entrance exams yet?  
**Ann**: Ahahaha…  
**Ann**: I’m… working on it?  
**Makoto**: ...Ann.  
**Ann**: I’m serious, okay! I’m totally working on it!  
**Makoto**: ...Well, don’t wait until the last minute, alright?  
**Makoto**: Take a little bit of time in-between your schedule to study.  
**Ann**: Can I take today off, at least?  
**Ann**: Pleeeeeseeeee?  
**Makoto**: ...Oh, fine.  
**Makoto**: Your birthday only comes around once, after all.

\-----

**Haru**: Ann-chan! I hope that I’ve caught you in time!  
**Haru**: Happy birthday!  
**Ann**: Right on time, Haru!  
**Ann**: Thank you so much!  
**Haru**: Oh, I’m so glad to hear that!  
**Haru**: I hope that the day’s been treating you well so far!  
**Ann**: It’s a great start!  
**Ann**: Can’t wait for the rest of the day to see what happens!  
**Haru**: That’s wonderful.  
**Haru**: If only I could be there to celebrate with you in person…  
**Ann**: Hey! College is no joke!  
**Ann**: I just got an earful from Makoto about it!  
**Haru**: Oh? Mako-chan already got in touch with you?  
**Ann**: Yup! Everyone else did too!  
**Haru**: Oh, that’s wonderful news!  
**Haru**: I hope that you enjoy the rest of the day!  
**Ann**: Will do! Thanks, Haru!

\-----

There were a lot of messages that Ann was both reading and responding to. It took a lot of jumping back and forth in-between messages to get to them all, but she managed to do it. Besides, she was more than happy to respond and chat with everyone. Keeping in touch with everyone like this made her happy. 

Ann tried not to voice this out loud, but deep down she missed hanging out with everyone. Last year was the first time in a long time that she’s ever felt happy with a group of people that loved her for who she was. She knew the reasons why some of them had to go far away, like Makoto and Haru graduating and going to college away from Tokyo, or Shiho moving with her family for a fresh start, or Akira having to go back home after his probation ended… Life marched on, and everyone had their own dreams and goals... but she still missed them all the same. But she wasn’t completely down about it. Even though some of her friends were farther away now, they were still keeping up the effort to stay in touch. And that alone made her happy. 

Speaking of being far away, there was one other person that Ann had yet to hear from this morning… and she was eagerly awaiting his message.

_> Incoming Call: Akira_

Right on cue.

“Heh… Of course he’d call instead of text today.” Ann giggled, gazing at the phone with an excited look upon her face. She pushed the accept call button without delay and held her phone up to her ear.

“Hey, you.”

_“Hey, birthday girl,”_ Akira greeted. _“Thought I’d call in since today is special.”_

“You’re like, the last one to say Happy Birthday to me.” Ann laughed.

_“Wait. For real?”_

“For real! Even Makoto and Haru beat you to the punch!”

_“Damn. And here I thought I was being early.”_

“Don’t feel too bad, slowpoke,” Ann giggled, unable to resist poking fun at him. “I’m always happy to hear your voice.”

_“Well then… I’ll have to make this call worthwhile.”_ Akira replied. God, Ann could practically see the smirk on his face when he said that. What was she going to do with him…

“Hey. So what’re you doing right now?” Ann asked, curious.

_“Just walking around town, nothing too special. I was jogging for a bit earlier, but then I stopped.”_ Akira answered. _“Mom and Dad wanted to send their well wishes, you know.”_

“Tell ‘em I said thanks,” Ann said, smiling.

_“Will do,”_ Akira responded. _“What about you? Got something planned for your big day?”_

“Kinda! Ryuji wanted us to get together to celebrate! But I don’t think he worked out a place for us to meet up though. Futaba pointed that out in nooooo small detail,” Ann answered, twirling the ends of her hair as she spoke. “They’re probably trying to work it out somehow before they send the word back to me. I hope it’s something good!”

_“You don’t have anywhere in mind that you want to go?”_ Akira asked.

“Nope. Honestly, I was thinking about going on a big shopping spree before Ryuji suggested that we meet up for my birthday.” Ann admitted.

_“...That’s all?”_ Akira asked. His tone sounded incredulous, and Ann huffed at the sound of it.

“Don’t you pull a Shiho too! She said the same thing!” Ann cried. She could hear Akira’s laughter through the phone, which made her huff at him again. “Quit laughing!”

_“Okay… Okay, I’ll stop,”_ Akira breathed, still chuckling through the phone. _“Man… that was priceless. Great minds think alike.”_

“I don’t need the two of you giving me grief at the same time! I couldn’t take it!” Ann exclaimed.

_“You know we’re both right.”_ Akira pointed out.

“Akiraaaaaaa… Don’t remind me…” Ann groaned, planting her face into one of her pillows. Don’t you hate it when two of your favorite people are right about the same thing?

_“Cheer up, Ann. At least with Ryuji and the others around, you know you’ll be having fun.”_ Akira assured.

“...Yeah, I know,” Ann replied, nodding. “The crowd’s a bit smaller this year, but at least we don’t have a make-or-break heist hanging over our heads this time.”

_“That’s true.”_ Akira said.

“...I wish you were here celebrating with me, though.” Ann then said, resting her chin against her pillow as she adjusted herself on the bed. “Don’t get me wrong! I’m super happy that you called! But, you know... sometimes I just… want you here in person so that we could celebrate together. Is that selfish?”

_“...That’s natural,”_ Akira answered softly. _“Especially since we haven’t seen each other in person since summer.”_

“Yeah…” Ann trailed off, taking the time to briefly reminisce about this recent summer. “H-Honestly, I should count my blessings. I might not be able to see you, but hearing your voice is the next best thing, y’know? Especially since you took the time to call and wish me Happy Birthday.”

_“I wouldn’t miss your birthday for anything, Ann,”_ Akira said. _“What kind of guy would I be if I did? You’re too important to me.”_

“...Are you sure you and Shiho haven’t been hanging around each other?” Ann asked, giggling. “She said something similar too.”

_“Like I said before… great minds think alike.”_ Akira mused with a chuckle.

“Cheeky.” she quipped. Suddenly, Ann’s phone started to vibrate in her hand, and she took a moment to see what messages she’s gotten this time.

**Ryuji**: We’ve got the place!  
**Ryuji**: Come around to the Wilton Buffet, Ann!  
**Ryuji**: We’ll have an all-you-can-eat birthday party!

“Whoa, what?! Where’d Ryuji get that kind of money?” Ann gasped, completely shocked. Last time they had a big bash like that was at their first success as the Phantom Thieves… way back when they’ve stolen Kamoshida’s Heart and made him confess his crimes. The payment was so steep that it took all the money they had by selling that damn medal! How did Ryuji scrape up the money for a birthday party there?

_“...going on? Ann?”_

Ann gasped as she realized that Akira was still on the other line. _Crap._ She was so stunned over what Ryuji’s message said that she almost forgot that she was on the phone. She hurriedly put her cellphone to her ear and started to speak.

“S-Sorry, Akira! It’s just… Ryuji just texted me saying that we’re meeting up at the Wilton Buffet...” Ann explained.

_“...Nice.”_ Akira whistled.

“Whaddya mean!? I mean, where’d he even get the money?! You know it was SUPER expensive the last time we went there together!” Ann exclaimed.

_“Yeah, but it’s happening now.”_ Akira said, sounding a bit too nonchalant over the details. Ann didn’t know why he sounded like that. This was a big deal! 

_“You’re gonna go, aren’t you?”_ he then asked.

“Of course I’m gonna go! I’m just really surprised, that’s all.” Ann said.

_“That’s the point of a surprise, isn’t it?”_ Akira pointed out.

“...Hehe. Guess that’s true,” Ann agreed, smiling a little. “Hey. Am I gonna expect a birthday present in the mail from you anytime soon?”

_“...Keep your eyes open. It might surprise you,”_ Akira replied.

“...Oh god. What did you get me, mister?” Ann gawked.

_“I’m not telling. ~”_ Akira sang innocently.

“What?! No fair! Come on, tell me.” Ann prodded.

_“My lips are sealed.”_ Akira answered cheekily.

“Oh, come on!” Ann cried.

_“You’re not here to unlock them, Ann.”_

“Akira!!”

_“Until that gift gets to you, it’ll be my secret.”_

“Oh, you! Fine! Guess I’ll have to wait…” Ann huffed, finally conceding. Why did he have to tease her about things like this? Unbelievable. Akira chuckled a little at her again over her reaction. After a while, his laughter began to fade.

_“Hey. You enjoy yourself at that party, alright?”_ Akira said, his tone gentle as he spoke. _“It’s your birthday. You should be able to let loose and live a little.”_

“Will do! I’ll try not to get too crazy so that I _completely_ ruin my diet. But I’ll be sure to have a blast with the others over at the buffet,” Ann promised, sounding enthusiastic. “With that said, I better go get ready.”

_“Sounds like a plan,”_ Akira mused. _“I’ll leave you to it, then.”_

“And, hey... Akira?”

_“Yeah?”_

“...I love you.”

_“I love you, too. I’ll catch you later.”_

\-----

Wilton Buffet was as crowded as ever.

There were countless people either chatting around the buffet tables, or chatting amongst themselves in the tables while eating their food. There was also a huge line of people at the receptionist’s desk where they had to be waited on to be guided by a waiter or waitress to the dining section. Ann considered it a miracle that she was able to get inside of the building. This place was expensive for a reason, after all.

“Hey, there she is!”

Ann looked over to see Ryuji, Yusuke and Futaba walking up to her with big grins on their faces. (_Well, namely Ryuji and Futaba had big, excited grins on their faces. Yusuke however had a calm smile when he came up to greet her._) It was good of them to come up and meet with her in the lobby. Ann would’ve had a miserable time if she had to get into that huge line.

“The birthday girl has arrived!” Futaba announced with glee.

“Hey, guys!” Ann greeted.

“So? Whaddya think? Pretty slick for a birthday party, right?” Ryuji goaded on, puffing up his chest.

“It is! The desserts here are soooo good! I still remember when I tasted some of their cakes back when we were celebrating our first successful heist.” Ann mused. “But speaking of heists… you guys didn’t actually do one in order to throw me a birthday party, did you?”

“Hell no!” Ryuji cried.

“Meh. It’d be too easy to hack into the restaurants’ database and make a reservation for our own.” Futaba answered, shrugging her shoulders.

“Your indiscriminate knowledge of various databases truly knows no bounds.” Yusuke said with a sigh.

“We didn’t do that either!” Ryuji exclaimed, shaking his head vigorously. “We got our spot here the old fashioned way! By callin’ up the place and makin’ our reservation!”

“Oh, yeah? Where’d you get the money?” Ann asked.

“Hehe… you’ll see,” Ryuji grinned, brushing off his nose with his thumb. “C’mon! Follow me and we’ll get this party started!”

Ryuji then went off on his own to the elevators, beckoning the others to come with him with an eager wave. When they were eventually stopped by a waiter asking if they have a reservation, Ryuji stepped forward with enthusiasm.

“Yo! Uh, we’re with the Okumura reservation?” Ryuji said.

_‘Okumura…?’_ Ann thought, blinking in surprise. Did… Haru set up the reservation? That would explain where they got the money to pay for this place, but… isn’t she away for college?

“Yes. All of the people included within that reservation are now accounted for.” Yusuke informed.

“Ah, the private party that Miss Okumura reserved for today. Of course. Please enjoy your stay.” The waiter said, bowing his head before he returned to his post. With an enthusiastic cackle, Futaba came up from behind Ann and pushed the button for the elevator to go up.

“Aww, yeah! We passed the gatekeeper! Level 1 complete!” Futaba cheered.

“There was very little trouble to begin with,” Yusuke pointed out, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t celebrate merely for that.”

“Kch. Don’t be a wet blanket, Inari.” Futaba scoffed.

“So Haru paid for the party? That’s pretty nice of her to do it all the way from college.” Ann mused. “I’ve gotta call her up and say ‘thank you’ to her.”

“You don’t hafta do all that. Just say ‘thank you’ to her in person.” Ryuji said, shaking his head.

“In person? Wait, is Haru actually here?!” Ann gasped.

“Indeed she is,” Yusuke revealed, nodding at Ann. “She’s been waiting on the upper floors the whole time.”

“Pfft! Just wait and see who else we’ve got up there!” Ryuji hinted, grinning wildly.

“Who else — Wait, there’s more!?” Ann cried in disbelief.

“Hell yeah! You’re so gonna flip out.” Ryuji said.

_Ding!_

The elevator doors began to open, allowing for the others to step inside and wait for their requested floor. Ann couldn’t help but feel giddy over what else her friends had under their sleeves for her birthday. If Haru herself took the time to pay for a private party at one of the most expensive places in Shibuya and attend the party in person despite being in college, then Ann didn’t know what was going to happen next.

\-----

The Wilton Buffet private rooms sat upon the upper floors of the building. They were usually reserved by the upper elites, like famous politicians, rich socialites, young and old, and more. And the rooms themselves matched the grand splendor that its patrons were often privy to, with grand decorations of fountains, statues and chandeliers strewn about the huge, spacious room. The tables, like the main halls, were filled with food and desserts, decorated in Wilton Buffet’s trademark style. And the room was lit with soft lighting to give off a calming atmosphere, a stark contrast to the bright lights in the main hall. To anyone that wasn’t used to such a sight, they would be floored at the brilliance of this private room...

But the room itself wasn’t what caught Ann’s attention.

“Shiho!!”

“Ann!”

The grand extravagance of the Wilton Buffet private room paled in comparison to Ann’s shock over seeing her best friend in person after so long. Shiho looked well, no… even _better_ since that day when they said their goodbyes on the roof. Her whole demeanor was starting to look like her whole self, and her smile was notably brighter than it was the last time she saw it. Ann let out a loud, high-pitched squeal as she made a beeline towards Shiho. Once she got close, she threw her arms out and immediately wrapped around her in a tight hug. Ann’s show of force made Shiho recoil a bit since Ann practically gave her a tackle hug, but Shiho laughed as she returned the hug in full.

“Geez, Ann! Not so hard!” she laughed.

“Are you kidding me!? You took my ‘come to the city’ joke seriously?!” Ann laughed, feeling little beads of tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “Or were you in town the whole time and you were just messing with me when we texted this morning?”

“Maybe. Or maybe I did take that joke seriously and asked my parents to drive me up here so that I could celebrate your birthday with you. You don’t know!” Shiho retorted, keeping her smile.

“Oh my _god_, Shiho…! I’m just…!” Ann sniffled, burying her face against Shiho’s shoulder. She just couldn’t contain her joy over seeing Shiho again. This… this was something that she wasn’t expecting at all. “I’m just so glad to see you…!”

“Me too,” Shiho said warmly, tightening her hold on her. “Happy birthday, Ann.”

After hugging each other for a while, Ann finally lifted her head from Shiho’s shoulder and parted from her. She wiped the corners of her eyes with her fingers to keep herself from crying outright. From behind Shiho, Ann could see Makoto and Haru standing near the table where all of the birthday gifts were sitting in. She gasped as her eyes widened in shock, and then she was smiling from ear to ear.

“Makoto! Haru! You guys really are here!” Ann exclaimed. “I thought you two were in college!”

“Sunday is our day off too, you know,” Makoto pointed out, smiling calmly. “And it’s a good friend’s birthday today, so why not take the time off to celebrate?”

“It helps that we planned this all in advance too,” Haru mentioned. “When we all agreed that this is where the party would take place, I provided the cost and made the reservation in advance so that we could all meet up here.”

“You guys made it sound like you were messaging from far away this morning… Sneaky.” Ann said slyly, closing an eye at them.

“Hehe… Given what we’ve been through, that shouldn’t surprise you, Ann-chan.” Haru giggled.

“That’s true,” Ann agreed, laughing a bit. “But wow… I can’t believe you guys pulled all this off… This must’ve been crazy...”

“Like Haru said, it was a team effort!” Ryuji said, putting his hands behind his head.

“Everyone took the time to gather here because we wished to celebrate with you,” Yusuke stated, nodding in satisfaction.

“Yup! It’s like we’re summoning the entire gang back together for some sugar and presents!” Futaba chimed in. “Plus, it was good to save your best friend’s number for later.”

“I was the one who called Suzui up, don’t forget!” Ryuji mentioned. “Thought it might be good for her to hear a familiar voice!”

“I can agree with that. I could hear Ryuji-kun’s voice from far away when he was talking to my dad.” Shiho laughed, shaking her head.

“Oh, come on! I wasn’t that loud!” Ryuji exclaimed loudly. “I was using my speaking voice!”

“See? Like that.” Shiho pointed out with a grin.

“Yep. That sounds like Ryuji.” Ann agreed.

“Without a doubt.” Yusuke commented.

“Why am I not surprised…” Makoto sighed.

“Some things never change…” Haru giggled.

“Oof. Five-way combo.” Futaba winced.

“That ain’t fair!” Ryuji cried. “What’s wrong with wantin’ to have everyone here?! We didn’t miss one person! Not one!”

“Didn’t miss one… Hold up, Ryuji!” Ann exclaimed. “If you said that _everyone’s_ here, then where is…?”

Just when her voice trailed off, Ann took a moment to look around the room, keeping her eyes peeled for a certain someone that she had yet to see. If everyone was supposed to be here, then naturally… Akira was here too, right? This would _definitely_ be something that he would do, without a doubt. After all, he had a strong hand in planning a birthday party for her last year, and he was dramatic enough to surprise her from showing up out of the blue. But… no matter how hard she looked, Ann didn’t see Akira anywhere. She furrowed her brows as she stood there, wondering where he could be. Suddenly, Ann felt a hand being placed on her shoulder, and she could smell the faint scent of coffee lingering in the air. A low voice then whispered into her ear, and Ann immediately smiled at the sound of it.

“Looking for me?”

Ann immediately turned around to see Akira standing behind her with a smile on his face. Once again, she made a loud, high-pitched squeal as she excitedly wrapped her arms around him, practically jumping up and down as she did so.

“I should’ve known!” she cried, before pressing a kiss on his cheek.

“Happy birthday,” Akira said, squeezing her while she was in his arms. “Told you that I wouldn’t miss it.”

“I believe you.” Ann said, nodding enthusiastically. Man, she was… over the moon right now. Everyone really was here... Despite some of them being apart, they all gathered here for her birthday. Somehow, Ann didn’t care what her birthday presents were over at the gift table. Having everyone here again, even just for a day, was enough for her.

“So, we can definitely say that everyone’s all here.” Shiho said.

“Hell yeah! Time to get the birthday party started!” Ryuji cheered happily.

“What do you say, birthday girl?” Akira asked, looking down at Ann.

Ann flashed a bright smile at Akira, and then looked towards everyone else with a twinkle in her eye. Screw her diets, and screw the rules! She was definitely going to let loose and enjoy herself today. It’s her birthday, after all.

_“Let’s celebrate!”_


End file.
